Many fans feel the Hawkeye series is well deserved for the titular character, as he’s been one of the mainstays in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With expectations high for the show, it needs to learn from the past mistakes of the MCU and avoid things that fans haven’t enjoyed.
These are the weaker traits and tropes from the series at large, as they have been seen across various movies and TV shows. Should these mistakes be repeated, Hawkeye will be at risk to get lost in the mix in the grand scheme of the MCU. Due to this, it’s essential to avoid these issues by shooting in the opposite direction.
Leaving Too Many Sequel Hooks
So far, what’s known of the Hawkeye series is that it’s supposed to show Kate Bishop take on the mantle from Clint Barton. However, there’s a big chance the series doesn’t follow through with this simple premise by ending things with a huge and unresolved revelation.
The MCU has constantly thrown such sequel hooks in order to entice fans to return in the future. The problem is that these resolutions take several years. This means that potentially unsatisfactory plot reveals only made fans wait around for no reason. Such sequel hooks undermine viewers’ investment in the story since they don’t get the full ending.
Flashbacks And References That Reveal Nothing
The MCU has featured many flashbacks that supposedly fill gaps in story chronology, yet end up doing nothing. This was evident in scenes like Hulk’s arrival on Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok and the Budapest reference between Black Widow and Hawkeye.
These scenes and references are recurring but have no real value, as viewers don’t gain any real information. It’s theorized that Black Widow might reveal the Budapest reference’s truth, but Hawkeye should follow through in this regard as well. With Clint’s background set to be explored, flashbacks need to have real value and not be a cop-out.
Making The Protégé Completely Reliant On The Mentor
Mentor/protégé dynamics are common in the series, although it’s made the mistake of making protégés extremely codependent. This was evident in Spider-Man, who appeared to be Iron Man Jr. in many ways due to his overreliance on Tony Stark.
This mistake prevents protégés from standing out on their own, as their strong points are downplayed. Kate Bishop should come across as her own person that only needs Hawkeye to reach her true potential. It would be counterproductive for Hawkeye to fix Kate’s problems as the latter will end up being stuck with the protégé tag.
The Avengers Not Factoring Into Each Other's Lives
While the MCU characters make for good friends in general, the movies and shows have inconspicuously featured their absences when that shouldn’t be the case. This was striking in WandaVision, where Wanda was completely alone despite being an Avenger.
The issue is that fans aren’t given an explanation as to why this is, making absences stick out for the whole story. Hawkeye needs to establish why Clint is all alone if that’s the case. Ideally, the series should make reference to other Avengers’ status in order to maintain continuity as it doesn’t make sense why these characters don’t factor into each other’s lives.
Clashes In Storyline Chronology
The timeline of the MCU has always been confusing. This is due to movies mistaking chronological points that don’t align with one another. It was at its worst in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which featured an eight-year jump when it should have only been five.
Hawkeye is set to take place quite a while after Avengers: Endgame, but it needs to keep the chronology in check. With the show arriving after WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, it has to maintain the timeline established in those stories to ensure there aren’t any clashes.
Character Changes That Are Later Dropped
Characters have undergone significant changes in the past, only to revert to their old selves without explanation. This happened to Iron Man, who claimed he was done being a superhero, yet was part of the Avengers in the next movie.
Hawkeye himself is guilty of this mistake, having taken on the persona of Ronin and become a remorseless killer, but then reverting his usual self after just one scene. Hawkeye the series needs to set a new normal, in that any big character change has to be there to stay.
Using The Informed Attributes Trope
This is a bad habit the MCU has developed in recent times, where a new character is hyped up to be a big deal simply by informing viewers about it. It’s not truly shown or established organically, causing a disconnect with the audience.
Hailee Steinfeld’s previous performances have proven she’s worthy of being Hawkeye, but the TV series has to portray Kate’s strong points. This should come across in a way that her flaws are also highlighted, as Kate being the best straight from the get-go, or simply claiming she’s great at everything, won’t make her eventual mantle as Hawkeye earned.
The Impact Of Death Being Downplayed
The MCU has sidestepped the impact a person should have when taking someone’s life. This has had the effect of making things relatively juvenile, as characters simply sometimes kill and don’t feel any responsibility toward it.
With Kate being a teenager who’s going to take down people lethally using archery, the TV series needs to address the toll it takes on a person. Only a few MCU heroes like Spider-Man have dealt with this aspect, so it’s high time another young hero like Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye also doesn’t make light of the reality of death.
The Presence Of A Stereotypical Evil Boss Villain
Some antagonists like the Winter Soldier have been layered, but many movies and shows like Ant-Man, WandaVision, Captain Marvel, among others have featured the stereotypical evil boss villain. Hawkeye, being a grounded series, is at the risk of repeating this mistake.
The presence of a generic villain will be a real letdown as Hawkeye is the kind of hero who needs to have an antagonist that stays close to his characterization. A stereotypical villain won’t allow this series to be different in any way.
Bringing Bait And Switch Characters
There’s no doubt that Black Widow is the character most want to see in Hawkeye. For now, it’s confirmed that Yelena Belova will be making an appearance. However, the MCU has brought bait and switch characters previously, which has angered fans.
The fake Quicksilver in WandaVision has been widely criticized for baiting the fans. Hawkeye can also do the same by teasing big-name characters for small roles, but this would be a grave mistake. Fans need to receive what the show has promised and surprises should be reserved for the ones that deliver a satisfying twist to the story.